Folding pedal.



PATENTED JAN. 17,1905. TWITOHELL FGLDENG EEDAL 5 SAMPERE 81: D. 1,

APPLICATION FILED KAY 27. 1904.

2 (SHEETS-4315331 i.

J ML

ATTOR N EY 5 WITNESSES:

No. 780,131. I PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905. J! SAMPBRE & D. I. TWITOHELL.

FGLDING PEDAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1904,

2 SEEETS-SIIEET 2.

WITNESSES: 76 L, 7W4. W 35 9 UNITE I STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSE SAMPERE AND DONN IRVING TIVITOHELL, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS, BY DIREO" AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE REGINA COMPANY, OF RAHVVAY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING PEDAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,131, dated January 17, 1905.

Application filed. May 27, 1904. Serial No. 210,096.

1'0 al/ w/wm/ it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OSE SAMPERE, a subject of the King of Spain, and DONN IRVING TWITCHELL, a citizen of the United States of America, both residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Pedals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pedals adapted more especially for operating the wind-inducing bellows of self-playing pianos or of pianoplayers or of reed or pipe organs, but useful in other pedal-operated structures.

The invention has for its object to provide simple, inexpensive, and efficient pedals of this character adapted to fold readily into small space when not in use, the more particular object being to adapt folding pedals to a selfplaying piano or piano-player or organ in manner permitting concealment of the unused pedals within the instrument-case and allowing almost instant and easy outfolding and infolding of the pedals as the conditions of use of the instrument may require.

The invention will first be described and then will be particularly defined in claims hereinafter set forth.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the lower front portion of a self-playing piano having the preferred pedals shown in outfolded operative adjustment. Fig. 2 is a sectional View showing in full lines these pedals .folded within the piano-case and indicating by dotted lines an intermediate stage of the pedalfolding movement. Fig. 3 is a detail side view illustrating the first stage of the pedalfolding movement. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail side view of the joint between the main bellows connecting-rod and the pedal-link. Fig. 5 is a smaller scale front view with the pedals folded within the piano-case. Fig. 6 is an enlarged partly sectional rear view specially illustrating one hinge of the pedal-supporting of the drawings) will first be described.

infolded by dotted'lines; and Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view of .these modified pedals infolded behind an independent door or panel of the piano-case.

The preferred pedals (shown in Figs. 1 to 6 In this construction the two pedals 1 1 are fulcrumed at 2 2 to a panel or plate 3, which is hinged on pins 4 to the case 5 of a piano, organ, or other structure. Each panel hingejoint preferably comprises a metal plate or strap 6, fixed to the inner face of the lower front bar or pedal-rail 7 of the case 5 and having an eye tightly clamping one end of the hinge-pin 4: and a metal plate or strap 8 fixed to and along the inner face of the panel 3' and strongly reinforcing it and having an eye adapted to turn upon the other end of the hingepin. These hinge-joints at the pins 4 are preferably sunken in therear face of the panel 3, but lie entirely within its outer face, so that when the panel is closed upward it effectually conceals its hinge-joints and all the infolded pedal mechanism. One or more than two pedals may be used, as desired. Each pedal 1 is coupled by a link 9 to a connecting-rod 10, which is fixed to the wind-inducing bellows 11. The coupling of parts 9 10 is effected preferably by a special rule-joint comprising a pivot-pin 12 and opposing pairs of shoulders 13 1 1 on the parts 9 10. These rule-joint shoulders form stops facilitating the operation of the pedal mechanism and its infolding and outfolding movements, as hereinafter more fully eX- plained. The outer end of each pedal-link 9 carries a pin or roller 15, upon which moves a guide on the pedal. This guide preferably comprises a slot 16 in a metal plate 17, fixed, preferably, to the outer edge of the corresponding pedal 1. The guide-slot 16 of each pedal-plate 17 preferably has an offset inner end portion 18, in which the link-pin 15 rests as the outfolded pedals are operated. Presuming that the pedals 1 are inoperatively infolded, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 of i the drawings, to outfold them for use it only is necessary to release the latch or catch 19, preferably holding the panel 3 closed, and then swing said panel downward on the hinge-pins 4. During this down-swinging of the panel 3 and pedals 1 the link-pins remain at the upper or outer part of the guide-slots 16 until the links 9 assume the full-line position of Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the guide-slots 16 then slip along on the link-pins 15 as the pedal rises to operative position until the pins finally rest in the guide-slot ofisets 18 about as the pedal-buffers come to rest upon the floor. In this adjustment the opposing rulejoint shoulders 14 closely approach each other. The special office of these shoulders 14 is to prevent accidental falling of the outfolded links 9 farther forward than is necessary to maintain the pedals 1 at about the proper angle to assure positive inflation of the bellows 11 by means of the parts 9 10 as the pedals are depressed to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pedal-guide slots 16 need not have the offset forward ends 18; but these offsets are preferred, as they assure more steady and practically noiseless operation of the bellows by the pedals. It is preferable to have the joint shoulders 14% slightly separated as the link-pins 15 rest in the pedal-guide offsets 18 in order to prevent overstrain of the rule-joints as the pedals are operated, while the panel-buffers 2O accommodate themselves firmly to the floor. To infold the pedals 1, their panel-support 3 is swung upward on the hinge-pins 4, and after the pedal-links 9 assume their final infolded position (shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings and determined by contact of the opposing rule-joint shoulders 13) the linkpins 15 will slip from the guide-offsets 18 and along the pedal-guide slots 16, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As the panel and pedals swing fully upward the latch 19 or equivalent detent automatically locks the pedals in closed or inoperative adjustment about at the time the panel 3 strikes a stop shoulder or block 21 on the piano-case 5, and the link-pins 15 then rest at the rear or now uppermost parts of the pedal slots or guides 16. The pedals thus are held securely and invisibly folded within the piano or organ case, all as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When the pedals are folded within the piano-case, they do not furnish visible indication that the piano may be played mechanically, thus enhancing the pleasure of a skilful manual player fingering the keyboard. There is no interference by the mechanical playing pedals 1 with the usual soft and loud pedals 22, fitted at the front rail 7 of the piano-case.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings the pedals 1 instead of being hinged to a plate or panel 3, forming part of the piano-case front when the pedals are folded, are pivoted at 23 to a metal frame 2 1, which is hinged at 25 to plates 26, held to the front case-rail 7 The link, rod, and slottedguide connections 9 to 18 between the bellows and pedals are substantially the same as those above described for the preferred pedal construction. It may be desirable to use springs 27, fixed to the bellows connectingrod 10 and bearing on the pedal-links 9, to facilitate folding of these fl"tln(3-S111I)pOlt@/tl pedals. Pins 28, projecting laterally inward from the sides of the open frame 2 1, may be used to prevent falling of the pedals 1 too far through the frame during folding of this modified pedal structure within the pianocase to the adjustment indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7 of the drawings. With these modified pedals any suitable hinged or sliding door 29 will be used to close the opening 30 of the piano-case front and conceal the infolded pedals from view during manual playing of the instrument or when the instrument is not in use.

Various modifications of this invention may be made by the skilled mechanic within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention 1. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be oper ated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedals.

2. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedal; said guide having an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted.

3. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled by a joint having opposing stop-shoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedals.

1. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled by a joint having opposing stop-shoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedal; said guide having an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted.

5. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to apiano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled by a joint having two opposing pairs of stopshoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedals.

6. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged to said support, and a link coupled by a joint having two opposing pairs of stopshoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during folding and unfolding of the pedal; said guide having an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted.

7. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case-or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the Wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged at the inner part of said support, and a link coupled toamovable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during infolding and outfolding of the pedal, said pedal and its coupling-link being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

8. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged to the inner part of said support; said guide having an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted, and a link coupled to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide during infolding and outfolding of the pedal; said pedal and its coupling-link being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

9. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged at the inner part of said support, and a link coupled bya joint having opposing stop-shoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedalguide; said pedal and its coupling-link being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

10. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged at the inner part of said support; said guide beingformed with an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted, and a link coupled by a joint having opposing stopshoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide; said pedal and its coupling-link being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

11. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged at the inner part of said support, and a link coupled by a joint having two opposing pairs of stop-shoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide; said pedal and its couplinglink being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

12. Folding pedals comprising a support hinged to a piano-case or other structure and forming when closed a portion of the wall thereof, one or more pedals having a slot or guide and hinged at the inner part of said support; said guide being formed with an offset portion at which the link rests when the pedal is operatively adjusted, and a link coupled by a joint having two opposing pairs of-stopshoulders to a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated and also having sliding engagement with the pedal-guide; said pedal and its coupling-link being sustained within the piano-case or structure when the hinged support is closed.

18. The combination in folding pedals, of a hinged panel or support, one or more pedals 1 hinged at 2 to said support and having a guide-slot 16, a rod 10 connected to a bellows or other part to be operated, and a link 9 coupled to the rod 10 and having a pin or part 15 movable in the guide-slot 16, substantially as described.

1 1. The combination in folding pedals, of a hinged panel or support, one or more pedals 1 hinged at 2 to said support and having a guide-slot 16 including an offset portion 18, a rod 10 connected to a bellows or other part to be operated, and a link 9 coupled to the rod 10 and havinga pin or part 15 movable in the pedal guide-slot 16 18, substantially as described.

15. The combination in folding pedals, of a hinged panel or support, one or more pedals 1 hinged at 2 to said support and having a guide-slot 16, a rod 10 connected to a bellows or other part to be operated, and a link 9 coupled to the rod 10 by a joint having opposing stop-shoulders 13 and having a pin or stop-shoulders 14 and havinga pin or part 15 IO part 15 movable in the pedal guide-slot 16, movable in the pedal guide-slot 16, substansubstantially as described. tially as described.

16. The combination in folding pedals, of a JOSE SAMPERE 5 hinged panel or support, one 01' more pedals y r r T 1 I H i w 1 hinged at 2 to said support and having a DOBN IRVIBU ULHILLL' guide-slot 16, a rod 10 connected to abellows lVitnesses: or other part to be operated, and a link 9 GEO. \V. ALLEN,

coupled to the rod 10 by a joint havingopposing 'M. A. BENJAMIN. 

